


It's Christmastime in the City

by allmylovesatonce



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: F/M, it's fluff-tastic, the christmas spirit made me write this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-09
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2019-02-12 09:38:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12956469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmylovesatonce/pseuds/allmylovesatonce
Summary: Jake decides that this Christmas is the perfect time for him and Amy to start some new traditions just the two of them. But as always, work has a way of changing their plans.





	It's Christmastime in the City

**December 2nd**

December had barely even begun when Jake crawled into bed next to Amy with a look that made her put down her crossword puzzle. He had an idea he was almost nervous to run past her. “What’s up?” she asked, clearly curious to see the reason behind his expression. 

“So as we both know, Thanksgiving was a rousing success,” he began. Amy stared at him doubtfully. “Or as we really know, it was an utter travesty that involved an injury worse than the time I almost had to do surgery on Captain Holt,” he corrected. Amy nodded agreeingly. “That is why I have a proposition for you.” 

“Ooh, okay,” she replied teasingly. 

“Now, as we all know, Hanukkah lasts a lovely 8 days and Christmas is only one day,” he reminded her needlessly. She nodded for him to continue. “My basic promise to my mom is that I’ll spend at least one day of Hanukkah with her since I am a busy man with a busy life and a busy job.” 

“Sure, makes sense,” Amy reasoned. 

“But as you also know, I also celebrate Christmas. Which you also celebrate,” he stated, building to his point for the conversation. 

Amy stared at him with a deadpanned expression. “Jake, I can tell that you’re building to something. Can you please just get to it and forget with the information we both know?” 

Jake shrugged. “I suppose that I can do that.” He grabbed Amy’s hands, holding both of hers in his. “So I wanted that big family Thanksgiving and as... _ lovely _ as it was, I don’t want that for Christmas. I was thinking we could ditch our families and just spend Christmas you and me. I mean it is our first and only Christmas as an engaged couple. I feel like it’s the perfect time to start some new traditions. Some you and me traditions. You know?” 

Amy beamed at him. “I think that’s a great idea.” 

Jake smiled happily back at her. “Great! And you think you’ll be able to clear it with your family?” 

Amy grimaced. “Well, I can try.” She looked thoughtful for a moment. “Ooh, I’ve got it. I’ll just lie! You can tell your mom and dad that we have to spend Christmas with my family. And I’ll tell my family that we have to spend Christmas with your family. Neither of them will know! It’s perfect.” 

“Wow, I can’t believe that I’m the one saying this, but Ames, I don’t think we should lie,” Jake said, stunned by his own words. 

She looked a bit guilty. “Yeah, good point. I’ll just tell them we’re spending Christmas just us. And I really do think it’s a great idea.” 

Jake nodded, smiling brightly. “I just really want to spend Christmas just the two of us. Celebrating all that’s happened this year.” 

Amy scrunched up her nose. “Like you going to prison?” 

Jake clicked his tongue. “I actually meant more along the lines of you passed the sergeant’s exam and became a sergeant, we’re getting married type of stuff.” 

“Sure, sure, that makes sense.”

“I don’t know, I just thought it would be nice to spend some time just us. No work, no families, just us being in love.” 

Amy smiled. “That is so sappy, but I love it.” She leaned in and kissed Jake quickly. “I’ll call my mom.” 

By the next night, their plans were set. “My mom was hoping she could get all 8 of us together for Christmas but apparently before I talked to her, 3 of my brothers also said they couldn’t make it Christmas Day. So now all the Santiagos are spending New Year’s Eve together.” 

“New Year’s Eve?” Jake asked. Amy nodded. “But we were supposed to spend New Year’s Eve getting crazy with Charles and Genevieve.” 

Amy scoffed. “Jake, Charles and Genevieve have a child. The craziest thing we were going to do with them was hear way too much about their sex life. Sorry, but even if you’d already told me about that, I would have passed.” 

Jake shrugged. “That’s a fair point. But we’re good on Christmas?” 

“We are all set for our special, just us Christmas!” Amy confirmed excitedly. 

And for most of the month, Jake and Amy looked forward to making new traditions on Christmas Day. 

**December 23rd**

“And that should conclude our briefing,” Captain Holt announced. Next to Jake, Charles started to rise out of his seat along with many others in the briefing room. “However, I have one announcement to make about Christmas.” Slowly, everyone sat back down. 

“A few weeks back,” Holt continued, “we established who would be working the holiday. Unfortunately though, things have changed. Detective Lohank was set to work Christmas Day but he broke his leg and cannot anymore. And Sergeant Larson was also going to work but her mother passed away this week and she is out on bereavement. So I need one detective and one sergeant to cover their places on Christmas Day in addition to those who have already agreed to work the holiday.” 

Amidst the grumbling throughout the briefing room, Amy turned back and looked across the aisle at Jake. Both of them shared a look of disdain followed quickly by a look of acceptance. Jake shrugged to her with a shake of his head as the rest of the squad called out their reasons for not being able to work. 

“I’m spending Christmas with my family,” Rosa exclaimed. “This is kind of a big deal. It’s the first Christmas I’ve willingly spent with them in years. I’m actually looking forward to it.” After a pause, Rosa added, “Plus, it’s my first Christmas being out of prison.” 

“It’s mine too,” Jake reminded her. “It doesn’t make you special.” 

“Yeah, so now you see how it’s annoying when you use it as an excuse, Jake,” Rosa retorted. 

Jake swallowed quickly. “Fair point. Continue.” 

“Look, I’ll work if I have to,” Rosa offered, “but I really don’t want to.” 

“Same here,” Charles chimed in from next to Jake. 

“You guys don’t have to worry about it,” Jake assured everyone. “Amy and I are going to do it.” 

Everyone looked over at Jake. “What?” Charles asked. 

“I mean it’s the only thing that makes sense,” Jake reasoned. “Holt said we need a sergeant and a detective to work. Terry has a three kids that are all going to want their dad there on Christmas. So Amy is the sergeant available. And Charles has a child. And Rosa is actually excited to spend time with her family which is huge. And hopefully at least on Christmas, Hitchcock and Scully will see their kids. So that leaves me as the obvious choice.” 

“But what about your plans?” Charles asked sadly. 

Jake looked over at Amy. “We were just going to spend Christmas together.” Amy looked back at him, sharing his melancholy expression. “This way, at least we still will.” With a shrug, Jake shot her a sad smile. 

“Thanks guys,” Terry said quietly. Jake and Amy nodded. Everyone quietly echoed Terry’s thanks. 

“It’s fine, guys,” Jake reassured them. “You guys can just owe us one and work a Christmas for us someday when we can’t work it.” 

Charles gasped dramatically beside him. “What are you saying?” 

Jake rolled his eyes. “Amy and I are getting married. It can’t be that shocking to allude to future children.” 

“Oh my God,” Charles wept. 

“Whoa,” Amy called. “Calm down, Charles! He didn’t say  _ next _ Christmas. He said someday. Nothing to cry about yet.” 

“Are you sure?” Charles asked with a weird look. 

Amy shivered disgustedly. “Yes, I am positive.” 

“Positive? Like-” Charles cried. 

“Charles!” Amy yelled. 

“Well I appreciate you both volunteering so quickly,” Holt interrupted. “I truly thought this would drag out much longer. Dismissed.” 

Jake and Amy were sitting in the breakroom later eating their lunches when Terry walked in smiling. “I’m glad you’re both in here,” he greeted. “I really just wanted to thank you.” 

Amy shrugged. “It’s no big deal. It’s just one day of the year.” 

“Yeah,” Jake agreed. “So what if we were going to spend the day in our pajamas being cozy as hell? Or cuddled up under a blanket reading A Christmas Carol to each other while doing the voices? Working will be just fine.” 

“We were going to do that?” Amy asked, a surprised and saddened look on her face. 

“I kinda had the idea that we could,” Jake replied sheepishly. “It’s really no big deal, Terry. We can give each other presents any day of the year. It doesn’t have to be this one specific day.” 

“Yeah,” Amy chimed in. “Like who gives presents on Halloween? No one. But Jake gave me a wonderful present this Halloween,” she explained waving her left hand in the air.

“Aww, Babe,” Jake replied with a sickly sweet smile. “Well you gave me a great gift too by agreeing to spend your life-” 

“Oh, I meant the ring,” Amy interrupted with a grimace. She chuckled to herself. “But I mean that’s good too!” 

Jake rolled his eyes with a smirk. “Anyway,” Terry said, taking back the conversation. “On behalf of the Jeffords Family, I would just like to say thank you very much.” 

“No problem, Terr-Bear!” Jake said, shooting finger guns at Terry. “I mean Holt said we’d be paid overtime and get our holiday to take whenever we wanted, so…” 

“Wait, what?” Terry asked quickly. 

“Was that not common knowledge?” Jake asked, looking over at Amy guiltily. 

**December 25th**

It was an especially cold morning, given that Jake was originally never supposed to change out of his pajamas. Amy left before he did after the duty sergeant called and said he had to leave early. She kissed Jake quickly as he was getting out of the shower and said she’d see him at work. Jake took his time getting ready for work. As much as it made sense for him and Amy to work, he still would rather be spending their day cozied up together. Jake was reaching in the fridge for the milk when he saw the food they’d bought in preparation Christmas. Jake looked over at their Christmas tree, presents sitting underneath it. He smiled mischievously as an idea struck him. 

Miraculously, Jake managed to get to work on time all while sneaking a bit of Christmas into the precinct with him. Jake was stashing the last bit of his surprises when Amy was walking in from the interrogation room. “Hey, Babe,” she called. He smiled as she walked toward him. 

“Merry Christmas,” Jake replied sadly. 

Amy chuckled. “Yeah, Merry Christmas,” she replied with a hand on his shoulder. “Time to get to work.” 

They’d only been working a couple of hours when Jake made the cinnamon rolls in the toaster oven. He snuck behind Amy, wafting the smell towards her. He heard her sniffing before she turned around to see him beaming, holding a plate of steaming cinnamon rolls with icing dripping off them. Jake had wanted the cinnamon rolls while Amy had wanted something that wasn’t completely terrible for them. They’d compromised and bought fruit to go with their breakfast. Amy looked shock as she saw Jake holding their Christmas treat. 

“What did you-”

“Don’t worry, the fruit is in the break room too,” Jake assured her. 

She laughed, shaking her head affectionately. “What did you do?” 

“Why spend our Christmas wishing we’d been doing all the stuff we planned?” Jake asked. “I mean so far this seems like a slow Christmas, crime wise.” 

Amy slapped his arm. “Oh my God. Don’t jinx it, you idiot!” 

“Sorry, sorry. I mean it’s very stressful,” Jake recovered. “But, I thought we could still have a little bit of Christmas here.” 

Amy stood up, looking at the cinnamon rolls and back at Jake, an awed expression on her face. She reached out and laid her hand on his cheek. “That is the most thoughtful gesture ever. I love you.” She leaned in and kissed him quickly. 

Jake looked around the bullpen with shock before looking back at Amy. She shrugged her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “Whatever. It’s not like anyone’s really around.” Jake laughed and nodded in agreement. 

He set the plate down on Amy’s desk as he wound back around to his. He pulled out a secret craft from his desk drawer. “I also couldn’t help but notice that you had some festive colored notepads in your desk.” He pulled out a small red and green paper chain he’d made from her sticky notes. 

Amy gasped as she saw it, clearly biting back some choice words. “That’s really sweet, Jake, but...did you steal my sticky notes?” 

Jake looked down at his paper chain guiltily. “I should have seen that reaction coming. I’ve only been your desk mate for the better part of a decade. Rookie mistake.” 

Amy laughed, though she still looked a bit offended. “It kinda was, but I appreciate the gesture.” 

“Okay, so forget that mishap,” Jake redirected. “I also haaave…” he jumped up quickly from his desk over to a plug behind Gina’s desk. He plugged in the extension cord leading to a ridiculous amount of Christmas lights strung throughout the bullpen. 

Amy stared around in wonder. “How did you even do this?” 

“Well some of them were already up,” Jake admitted. “I just added some more and jazzed it up a bit,” he said happily. “Every time you left the bullpen, I ran around and threw some more up.” Amy turned back and looked at him, still in awe. “It’s a good thing you had all that coffee this morning,” Jake joked. Amy rolled her eyes, picking up Jake’s rubic’s cube and throwing it at him. 

Grinning, Jake walked back over to his desk, ready to reveal the biggest surprise yet. He pulled out the red tote bag he’d stashed below his desk. “I believe Jolly Ole St. Nick stopped by too,” Jake said, eyes wide in glee. 

Amy laughed, shaking her head at him. “You brought our presents?” 

“Just a couple from under the tree,” he explained. “A small one for you and a small one for me.” 

Amy walked over and sat down in his perp chair, reaching out as she laid her hand on his arm. “Jake Peralta, you are the most thoughtful person I’ve ever met.” Jake smiled at her happily. “And honestly, five years ago, I never could have imagined that I’d be saying that,” she added with a laugh. 

“That’s a fair point,” Jake agreed, grinning. 

The two of them shared a sweet moment and some cinnamon rolls before reluctantly getting back to work. For the better part of the day, it was just as Jake had said. It was a slow Christmas, crime-wise. They were only two hours from getting off duty when the crime phone rang. Jake was boredly drawing a Christmas tree on a board in the briefing room when Amy ran in to find him. 

“Jake,” she called urgently. He could tell from her tone alone that something big was going on. “There’s apparently some big drug shipment coming in at the docks and we have the opportunity to take down some big drug bosses.” 

“Oh my God,” Jake breathed. “Really?” Amy nodded nervously. “What’s the catch?” 

“Nothing.” Jake stared at her blankly. “Other than the fact that it’s bound to be largely dangerous.” 

“Well what else is new?” Jake wondered aloud, putting the cap on his marker and putting it back on the board. 

“We’ve got to gear up and meet SWAT there,” Amy informed him. 

“Let’s go, Team,” Jake cheered, running out of the briefing room, Amy close behind. 

Quickly, Amy and Jake were geared up and down at the docks, waiting for the showdown. Amy was whispering the plan to the tactical team on their side of the warehouse. “We’re going in fast and we’re going in hard.” 

It took everything in Jake to not make a “Title of Your Sextape” joke in that moment. He knew it wasn’t the time or place. In that moment, Amy was his boss. And as she rattled off commands to the tactical team, Jake was honestly in awe of her. She was doing her thing and kicking ass and Jake couldn’t have been prouder. He shook his head quickly to refocus on the orders she was giving. 

There was a minute as they waited for everyone to be in place both outside and inside. Jake found his moment. “Hey, Ames,” he whispered quickly. “Listen, before we go in there -” 

“Jake,” Amy replied, reaching out to touch his shoulder. “I know you love me.” 

Jake smiled at her, in awe of how well she knew him. “Well I love that you know me. And to be clear, both are so much!” 

Amy nodded with a smile before turning back to everyone else. “On my count! Three, two…” She signaled them forward. “Go, go, go!” Amy and Jake burst through the door, guns pointed at the hordes of drug dealers. 

The drug dealers were trying to flee but were outnumbered by the SWAT members surrounding them. Gunshots were firing and people were running in every direction. 

“On the ground!” Jake yelled at a drug dealer running toward him. He tried to fight, but Jake overpowered him, cuffing him and leading him out of the warehouse. He had no idea where Amy was, but he wasn’t worried. She could hold her own without a doubt. 

Jake was walking past scuffle after scuffle, trying to get his drug dealer to a cop car. He had a short second when he noticed a movement out of the corner of his eye. Looking over quickly, he saw the butt of a gun moving forcefully toward his head. Jake felt the blinding pain for a moment before he fell to the ground and blacked out. 

The raid was over when Jake was sitting in the back of an ambulance, holding an ice pack to his bandaged head. He didn’t know where Amy was, but she was in charge of the mission, so surely she was making sure everything was tied up. 

“Did everything go okay?” Jake asked the EMT checking his vitals. 

“Umm...I think so…” he replied unhelpfully. 

“Thanks,” Jake muttered. He was trying to ignore the pounding in his head when he heard Amy’s panicked voice calling his name. 

“Jake?” She yelled again, still just as panicked. 

“Amy!” He yelled, moving to get up. 

“Stay there,” the EMT commanded, pushing him back down. 

Jake was trying to crane his neck to see Amy. She was tearing through a sea of people, cop cars, and ambulances. Her head was whipping around in every direction as she tried to see where Jake was. “Amy!” he called again. He saw relief and concern both cross her face as she saw him and then noted that he was in an ambulance. Sprinting over to his side, she cried out his name again. 

She looked him over, trying to see how much of him was injured. Reaching up gingerly, she grazed his injured head with a soft hand. “What happened? Are you okay? I freaked out when I couldn’t find you.” 

Jake raised his hands up, trying to calm her down. “I’m fine. I just have a second Christmas concussion.” Amy chuckled despite herself. “I kind of got pistol whipped by a drug dealer. It’s not my proudest moment.” 

“You have nothing to be ashamed of. It was a madhouse in there,” Amy said with a concerned shake of her head. 

“It’s what I get for crashing the drug dealers’ Christmas party,” he joked, laughing at himself. Amy didn’t look very amused. “Oh, come on, Ames, I’m fine.” 

She looked over at the EMT. “He’s fine?” she asked nervously. 

“He will be.” 

“See?” Jake asked, pointing at the EMT for emphasis. “I’m going to be just fine. You can officially relax.” 

Amy leaned in, sighing as she wrapped him in a hug. “I guess I should have let you tell me you loved me.” 

Jake laughed, wrapping his arms around her. “Amy, I love you so much,” he said earnestly. 

Amy pulled back with a soft smile and tears in her eyes. “Jake, I love  _ you _ so much.” 

A few hours later, Amy and Jake returned to their home after Amy made sure he was thoroughly checked out. Jake threw himself down on their bed with a grand sigh. Amy rifled through their closet, throwing a comfy pair of pajamas at him where he lay on the bed. Slowly, they both changed and climbed into bed, both completely exhausted. 

Jake was laying his head against the pillow when Amy yelled at him. “Hey!” she cried loudly. “You are not supposed to sleep yet. Remember? The doctor said you have to stay up for a few more hours until you’re out of the danger zone.”

“Did you call it the danger zone so I could feel better about it?” Jake asked with a grin. 

Amy smirked. “Of course,” she confirmed. “I know my man.” 

“Well what are we going to do for the next few hours?” Jake asked. “I guess we could open presents. We never got to that at the precinct.” 

“Oh I have a better idea,” Amy said, waggling her eyebrows. Jake raised one of his own, his interest piqued. Amy leaned over into her bedside table, pulling something out with her. She pulled Jake so he was leaning against her. In a terrible British accent, Amy began reading. “Marley was dead, to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.” 

“Wait,” Jake stopped her. “Are you reading me A Christmas Carol?”

Amy grinned broadly. “Wasn’t that your plan? Voices and all?” Jake smiled brightly, leaning up to kiss her deeply. He snuggled in beside her, throwing his arm around her back as she continued reading. “The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it.” 

Jake realized as Amy read on that their Christmas traditions didn’t matter. They could spend every year in a different place, with different friends or family members. They could spend it working or relaxing together. The only thing that made Christmas special for him was getting to spend it with her. 

“Hey, Ames,” Jake said, interrupting her again as he stared at her. 

“Yeah?” she asked, looking down at him fondly. 

“Merry Christmas.” 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays to everyone! I hope you enjoyed this! 
> 
> Feel free to come chat with me on tumblr! I'm three-drink-amy!


End file.
